As people around the world today celebrate the planet we share, humanity faces global environmental crises of towering importance and complexity: climate change, collapsing ocean ecosystems, loss of endangered species, deforestation and desertification.
Yet on the 36th anniversary of Earth Day, it’s both appropriate and important to celebrate our planet-friendly successes, too – and remember that what we do on a daily basis, as individuals, helps determine what kind of a world we will leave our kids.
Our nation has made tremendous progress thanks to laws adopted since 1970, such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. But we still have a ways to go.
In 1972 just over one-third of America’s rivers and streams were safe for fishing and swimming; today almost two-thirds are safe for such uses. Yet it’s disturbing that it’s still not safe to swim in, much less drink from, more than 33 percent of all U.S. streams and rivers.
Today, the big environmental threats to our planet’s ecological balance reach across international borders and often stem from some of modern civilization’s most entrenched habits – especially the amount of fossil fuels we burn. Yet treaties and government policies aren’t the entire answer. Individual actions count.
One way to assess your individual impact on the planet is to take a quiz on the Web at myfootprint.org. Be prepared for a shock, especially because Westerners drive a lot. But implicit in the quiz are ways to reduce the damage we cause.
Going shopping? Buy products from local farmers – you’ll cut the amount of fossil fuels used to transport the goods, even as you support the state’s economy. Going skiing? Grab some friends and carpool to the slopes. It’s better for the planet and more fun, too. Washing machine broken? Purchase an appliance with the government’s Energy Star rating and you’ll save cash on your electrical bill even as you help save the world.
In fact, most things we can do to reduce our contribution to global warming also help our pocketbooks, because both involve cutting energy consumption and costs. Wise energy use also curtails other pollutants such as soot and sulfur.
So, celebrate Earth Day – because there is, in fact, much to celebrate. It’s a nice planet. We should keep it that way.
